EAD is committed to the communities in which we serve, whether it’s using our valuable services for a good cause, collecting toys or supplies, or simply picking up trash. Here are a few examples of organizations that we’ve supported over the years.
In 2014, EAD met with Bancroft Elementary School counselors and decided to partner with them for the next three school years. Since then, we have provided over $15,000 in school supplies and gear, winter coats, gym equipment and Scholastic Newsletters. In 2016 alone, EAD donated nearly $5,000 to all 720 of the school’s students, who often come from underprivileged backgrounds.
“Thank you so much for all of your generosity,” Bancroft students and staff wrote to EAD. “We are very fortunate to have amazing people like you willing to help our students. They will immensely benefit from all of these awesome donations. You are truly making a difference in the lives of many of our students. We will be forever grateful for all you have done for us.”
Located at 158th and West Center Road, the 31-acre Woodhaven Park received the EAD treatment in 2015. EAD employees partnered with Keep Omaha Beautiful and the City of Omaha Parks and Recreation Department to pick up trash to keep the park clean and maintained. The park includes a playground, soccer field, two tennis courts, trails, picnic area and shelters.
Since its founding in 1976, Habitat for Humanity has built over 800,000 houses and served 4 million individuals worldwide. Beginning in 2014, EAD became a part of that legacy when we worked on two different houses in Omaha, NE.
For the first house, EAD used our world-class project management, engineering and construction services to build the structural walls in the basement. In 2015, EAD tackled the inside of two different homes: Employees painted the interior of one and erected drywall framing in the other. Because of our hard work, the homes were completed quickly and efficiently so a deserving family could move in.
In the spirit of stepping up, EAD hosted our first Toys for Tots Drive in 2011 and didn’t look back. The campaign, sponsored by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, aims to “deliver, through a new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters that will assist them in becoming responsible, productive and patriotic citizens.”
Over the past five years, EAD has donated more than 4,700 toys to the campaign, which donates toys to children whose parents cannot afford to purchase Christmas gifts.
When EAD joined Canstruction® and the Food Bank for the Heartland for the local Omaha event, it gave us an opportunity to showcase our design, construction and engineering talents, have some fun and donate food to those in the community who need it.
In 2014, our theme was “Nebras-Can,” and we won for Best Use of Labels and the People’s Choice Award. We chose to feature Nebraska as the theme to emphasize our Midwest roots. Our 2015 theme, “Water Cooler Can-versation” featured can-built Minions and won the Best Meal award. Between the two years, EAD donated over 5,00 cans of food for the Food Bank.
The Food Bank for the Heartland distributes food to 244 schools and 225 food pantries, emergency shelters and other nonprofit partners, serving 93 counties in Nebraska and Iowa.
EAD employees helped spread some holiday cheer to some of those who need it most: children and adults at the Open Door Mission. The Open Door Mission is a nonprofit that seeks to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty with long-term solutions and programs; it’s estimated that about 20,000 people are homeless every night in Nebraska, and 2,000 in Omaha alone.
By participating in Christmas Bells (everyday item donation for men and women) and Project Santa (toy donations to lighten the children’s Chrismas holiday), EAD donated 838 toys and various items:
- 293 toys
- 30 packages of socks
- 89 sticks of deodorant
- 61 packs of razors
- 79 toothbrushes
- 5 bottles of shampoo
- 4 watches
- 10 snow hats
- 48 decks of cards
- 11 packages of underwear
- 27 packages of soap
- 36 bottles of shaving cream
101 tubes of toothpaste- 7 bath sets
- 10 travel kits
- 4 wallets
- 16 blankets
- 7 containers of dental floss
Thank you to the Open Door Mission for allowing us to help, and to everyone who donated to this worthy cause. To learn more about the Open Door Mission, click here.